At $22,909/yr net price, Cedar Crest College graduates earn $59,460/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $25,460/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $22,909 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $91,636 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $59,460/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$25,460/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 3.6 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 58.2% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $27,000 |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $19,765/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $21,696/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,105/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,635/yr |
| $110,001+ | $26,406/yr |
Earnings by Major
Top programs ranked by median earnings
| Program | Level | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Bachelor | $64,406 | $29,170 |
| Education, General. | Master | $46,869 | |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services. | Certificate | $45,696 | $20,500 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Bachelor | $44,021 | |
| Criminology. | Bachelor | $33,993 | |
| Social Work. | Bachelor | $33,565 | |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | Bachelor | $32,925 | |
| Fine and Studio Arts. | Bachelor | $29,141 | |
| Psychology, General. | Bachelor | $28,443 | $28,000 |
The Risk Factor
58.2% of students at Cedar Crest College graduate within 6 years. More than half of students finish, but the dropout rate is a real factor in whether this investment pays off.
Analysis
Cedar Crest College gives you a middle-of-the-road financial return that lives or dies by your major. The $59,460 median earnings ten years out sit above the $27,000 median debt, so the typical graduate clears the loan without drowning. But that median hides a wide gap between nursing and everything else.
Nursing is the reason to come here. At $64,406, it pays nearly $20,000 more than business administration, the second-best-earning bachelor's program on this list. Nursing also carries the highest debt at $29,170, but the earnings easily cover it, and Allentown's hospital network gives you a local job market that hires nurses directly out of school.
The rest of the programs are where you need to be careful. Criminology, social work, and teacher education all land under $34,000 a year a decade after graduating. Against a net price near $23,000 annually, paying full freight for any of these three means your debt swallows a large share of your early paychecks. Business administration sits in the middle at $44,021, workable but not a windfall.
The biggest financial risk is the 58% graduation rate paired with a 77% retention rate. Some of you will borrow, leave without a degree, and still owe the money. That's the worst outcome here, and it's not rare.
Net price barely moves by income. Families under $30,000 pay about $19,765, while families over $110,000 pay $26,406 , a gap of under $7,000. If your income is low, Cedar Crest is not deeply discounting for you compared to other private colleges.
Come here for nursing, and the math works. For the lower-paying majors, only enroll if your net price lands near the bottom tier or you have outside funding. Otherwise, look elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cedar Crest College worth the money?
Cedar Crest College's return on investment depends heavily on your major. Nursing graduates earn $64,406 annually, making the $27,000 median debt manageable, but other programs like criminology ($33,993) offer weaker returns for the cost.
What is Cedar Crest College's job placement rate after graduation?
Cedar Crest College has a 58% graduation rate, which is below the national average for four-year colleges. The college doesn't publish specific job placement rates, but nursing graduates typically find employment more easily than other majors.
How much debt do Cedar Crest College students graduate with?
Cedar Crest College students graduate with a median debt of $27,000. This debt load is reasonable for nursing majors who earn $64,406, but creates financial strain for graduates in lower-paying fields like criminology or education.
Are Cedar Crest College graduates underpaid compared to other schools?
Cedar Crest College graduates earn $59,460 ten years after graduation, which is below average for college graduates nationally. The school's strength in nursing helps raise this average, but non-healthcare majors typically earn significantly less.